Preview: Round 1, Game 3 at NJD

NEWARK, N.J. - After taking care of business on home ice, the Carolina Hurricanes will try to keep the train rolling as their series against the New Jersey Devils shifts north.

-

When: Friday, April 25

Puck Drop: 8:00 p.m. ET

Watch: FanDuel Sports Network South, TBS, Max, SN, SN360, TVAS | Learn More

Listen: 99.9 The Fan, Hurricanes App

Odds at Time of Publishing, via Fanatics Sportsbook: Canes -170

The Series So Far...

• Game 1: Logan Stankoven scored twice and Frederik Andersen made 23 saves as the Canes thumped the Devils, 4-1, at Lenovo Center.
• Game 2: Jordan Martinook had a pair of points and Frederik Andersen stopped 25 out of 26 in a 3-1 win in Raleigh.

If It Ain't Broke...

• Rod Brind'Amour said on Thursday that his team will "more than likely" feature the same cast of skaters in Game 3 that took Games 1 and 2 in Raleigh, though no final decisions had been made at that point.
• The playing group skated in the same lines on Thursday and will hit the ice again this morning in Newark.

On The Road Again...

• While the Canes' lineup may not change, the game environment certainly will as the series shifts to Prudential Center in New Jersey.
• Road games have not been kind to Carolina in the playoffs in recent years. Since their run of seven straight postseason appearances began in 2019, the Hurricanes' .343 winning percentage ranks lowest among NHL clubs with 15+ playoff games in that span.
• As the Canes look to find their stride away from Lenovo Center, captain Jordan Staal emphasized the importance of not allowing things to snowball against them in Game 3 - something they excelled at during their comeback win in Game 2:
  • "You’ve got to do a better job of slowing down momentum on the road," he said. "You’ve got to be sure to quiet them down, slow them down again, and not let them gain any momentum. I think that’s the biggest thing...”

In Net...

• Frederik Andersen has been simply fantastic through the first two games of the series, leading all goaltenders with a .960 SV% and a 1.00 GAA, and his next win will match Arturs Irbe for the second-most playoff wins by a goaltender in franchise history.
• After sticking to an every-other-game system for Andersen and Pyotr Kochetkov when both were available during the regular season, the Canes' head coach said on Tuesday that they'll monitor how Andersen is feeling as the playoffs continue after the Dane was limited to just 22 games this season due to injury.
• "It’s early in the playoffs here, are we going to keep (playing Andersen)? We’ll see how he feels and gauge everything," said Brind'Amour. "We know we’ve got to watch it with him. He hasn’t had much of a workload but also that’s a bonus too, that he hasn’t played that much this year. He’s maybe the freshest guy out there.”

On The Other Side...

• Following Tuesday's Game 2, New Jersey Head Coach Sheldon Keefe spoke about drawing confidence from the contest despite the loss. The Devils took the first lead of the game and limited Carolina's opportunities far better than they did in Game 1, but the Canes still found a way through. On home ice, Keefe is banking on his club sustaining the strong effort they showed in the first period of Tuesday's tilt.
• Devils star Jesper Bratt got on the board for the first time in Game 2, opening the scoring and becoming the first New Jersey skater with multiple points in the series. The Swede led the team in scoring during the regular season with 88 points (21G, 67A) in 81 games.
• New Jersey's banged-up blue line could receive some reinforcements as soon as tonight. Neither Brenden Dillon nor Luke Hughes has returned to practice since going down in Game 1, but Jonas Siegenthaler - out since Feb. 4 with an undisclosed injury - skated with his teammates for the first time since that injury on Thursday. Keefe was noncommittal about Siegenthaler's status for Game 3, but suggested that the team may have to get more "aggressive" with his recovery timeline as the first round continues.

Injury Updates

• Forward Jesper Fast was ruled out for the 2024-25 season in August after having neck surgery.

What Are We Wearing?

• The Canes will wear their white uniforms on the road throughout the postseason.

Where To Watch Every Game...

• Looking for a place to watch the road games in the series? Come enjoy the ultimate viewing experience and join Stormy, the Canes Crew and more at the official Road Game HQ - the Carolina Ale House location in Cary!
• Can't make it to Lenovo Center for home games or Cary when the Canes are away? You can still catch every Canes game throughout the playoffs at any Carolina Ale House in the state. View the complete schedule and broadcast info here.

What's Next After This Game?

• The Canes are scheduled to practice on Saturday before game action continues in the Garden State on Sunday.
• Next Game: Sunday, April 27 | Round 1, Game 4 at New Jersey | 3:30 p.m. ET
• Next Home Game (if necessary): Tuesday, April 29 | Round 1, Game 5 vs. New Jersey | Time TBD | Tickets | Parking